BOGUS MEDIUM’S TRICKS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 109, 11 May 1931, Page 11

BOGUS MEDIUM’S TRICKS

EXHIBITION OF “FAKES ” HIDDEN SPRING AND BUTTON Many cunningly devised ‘‘takes with which bogus mediums have de ceived credulous peoples for years were exhibited in London recently at the Nh tional Laboratory of Psychical Kesearcl at South Kensington. There were cleverly-marked cards innocent-looking trays, which concealec “faked” messages, books with false covers, which hid carbon paper, and : cigar box secreting mercury in one ol its walls, which enabled a bell to b( rung to order. For the first time there was un yievi the stool used by the famous Aniericar medium, Anne Eva Fay. Tho median sat on the stool, with her hands anr feet bound to the sides. Objects place* in front of her darned about when the lights were turned out. For years these phenomena were as eribed to spirit agusc.v —until it wa: discovered that the sides of the stoo came away when a cunningly-concealei spring was pressed. No matter hov tightly Anne Eva was bound, sin* couW release herself, ring bells, blow trum pets, and throw things about. But. the most curious of the ‘fakes’ on exhibition was a trumpet used by : famous direct-voice medium. Writ to; messages Tvero handed to him in tin dark, and he replied through the trum pct in the voice of tho ‘spirit” I whom such messages were addressed. The medium put the message in large cap, which fitted on to th< em of tho trumpet. In this cap then* is . battery and a small bulb. By pressin. a button he could rend tin* ;.n <-agc E la bright light, which could not be set'i ’ by anyone else.